1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method and system for providing a channel surfing service based on multiple decoders, more particularly to a method and system that enable users to surf through a large number of broadcast channels within a short period of time.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, broadcasting services were provided using analog signals, but recent times have seen the appearance of digital broadcasting services.
As a result of active research on digital broadcasting standards, broadcast signals including video, audio, and data components can be compressed into digital signals, allowing for more channels for TV broadcasting.
Also, with the development of related applications, data broadcasting services are now being provided which not only enable users to view the broadcasts, but also provide data (supplementary information) directly or indirectly related to the broadcasts, such as for weather, news, stock information, e-mail, electronic program guides (EPG), TV shopping, banking, telephone services, and Internet searching.
Although the use of digital compression has led to improved picture quality and higher transmission efficiency, the speed for changing channels has become slower than that for analog broadcasting, due to the times required for tuning, decoding, etc., at the broadcast receiver.
Thus, a digital broadcasting system may provide an electronic program guide (EPG) to allow the user to quickly surf channels.
In the digital broadcasting system, a certain EPG generator unit may receive video signals related to currently broadcast programs and process the signals (convert the signals to smaller sizes) to provide an electronic program guide that allows a user to see at a glance the video, channel name, program information, etc., related to currently broadcast programs.
Existing electronic program guides may be independently configured for a particular number of channels, e.g. twelve to sixteen, so when there are a large number of broadcast channels, the digital broadcast system may have to generate a multiple number of electronic program guides. Also, the electronic program guides may be prepared separately according to the type of broadcasting medium, such as ground waves, satellite waves, cable, etc.
Furthermore, the multiple number of electronic program guides may be transferred to the broadcast receiver through a different channel from the ones used for broadcast programs.
Thus, according to the related art, the greater the number of channels provided to the users, the greater the number of electronic program guides that have to be generated, and since these have to be transferred via a separate band, the greater the loss in bandwidth.
Also, according to the related art, since the electronic program guides are provided separately, if a user wishes to check a broadcast channel that is not included in the electronic program guide currently viewed by the user, the digital broadcasting system may have to provide a new electronic program guide to the broadcast receiver. In this case, the broadcast receiver may have to decode the new electronic program guide again before outputting, causing the user to wait for a long standby period.